Our friends at the Community Food Security Coalition have asked us to alert our readers to the following job opportunity. Please see the contact information below if you are qualified and interested:

Position Available: Food Policy Council Program Coordinator
The Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) is a national alliance of 250 organizations dedicated to the creation of comprehensive solutions to the nation’s nutrition, farming, and hunger problems. The CFSC promotes food self-reliance and local food systems through organizing, networking, training and technical assistance, and policy advocacy.
The Food Policy Council Program is a new national initiative designed to support the development and operation of food policy councils,* and to help them identify ways to build markets for limited resource farmers. The program objectives are to:
++ Increase networking and information-sharing opportunities among existing and emerging food policy councils.
++ Expand linkages between food policy councils and limited resource producers and the organizations that represent them.
++ Increase the effectiveness of existing and emerging food policy councils through technical assistance.
++ Identify and promote model policies and best practices for food policy councils to build markets for limited resource producers.

Responsibilities
The Coordinator will work closely with CFSC’s Training and Technical Assistance Program Director and Food Policy Specialist to develop and implement this new program. The Coordinator will be responsible for:
++ Coordinating outreach to existing and emerging food policy councils (FPCs), and groups working with limited resource farmers;
++ Making linkages and helping build relationships between the above groups;
++ Surveying FPCs to identify their interests and technical assistance (TA) needs;
++ Replying to requests for TA and coordinating with Food Policy Specialist to address TA needs;
++ Planning quarterly conference calls for FPC organizers on topical themes;
++ Researching and editing a brief publication on FPC policies and practices to support limited resource farmers;
++ Reporting to the program funder (USDA Risk Management Agency)
Desired Qualifications
++ At least three years program management experience;
++ Experience working with food policy councils or local or state policy;
++ Experience working with farmers and/or groups representing them;
++ Strong writing skills;
++ Ability to work effectively with and build bridges between diverse organizations;
++ Substantive knowledge of community food security, food policy, limited-resource farming, sustainable agriculture, and/or related issues;
++ Excellent communication and inter-personal skills
++ Strong organizational skills;
++ Self motivated and dependable;
++ Able to work occasional weekends and evenings and to travel to conferences around the country;
++ Strong computer skills, preferably including Word, Excel, Filemaker Pro for Macintosh.
Location
CFSC’s office in Los Angeles, CA. Other locations for exceptional candidates may be considered.
Compensation
This is a full-time position, with a starting salary of $38,000-$42,000. Generous benefits include flexible scheduling, medical and dental insurance, vacation, holidays, sick leave, and a retirement plan with employer match.
The Community Food Security Coalition is an equal opportunity employer. Women and people of color are encouraged to apply.
Deadline for receipt of applications: September 23, 2005. Position open until filled. Start date: Approximately November 1, 2005.
E-mail or mail resume and cover letter to:
Andy Fisher
Community Food Security Coalition
PO Box 209
Venice, CA 90294
andy@foodsecurity.org
No phone inquiries please!
* A Food Policy Council (FPC) is comprised of stakeholders from various segments of a state or local food system. Councils can be officially sanctioned through a government action such as an Executive Order, or can be a grassroots effort. The primary goal of many FPCs is to examine the operation of a local food system and provide ideas or recommendations for how it can be improved.